Dr Paul Alsters

After his Postdoc period, Paul Alsters joined DSM in Geleen, where he presently works as Senior Scientist Homogeneous Catalysis at DSM ChemTech Center. He has been involved in a large variety of projects that require "molecular input". The projects serve a broad internal or external customer base in diverse end-markets: nutritional products, F&F, pharmaceuticals, base chemicals, coatings, engineering plastics, energy…

The required input often goes beyond homogeneous catalysis and includes other synthetic or non-synthetic chemical approaches. Synthetic approaches relate to new low cost, low waste routes or existing process improvements. Non-synthetic approaches relate to improved material properties (stability, strength, add-on functionalities, low toxicity, environmental degradation) or meeting requirements resulting from new legislation. Translation of scientific developments to their relevance for industry and setting-up internal or external networks to leverage problem solving are crucial aspects of his work, as illustrated by the set-up of the 2001-2005 EU FP5 "Sustox" project comprising 11 partners, resulting in an implemented process on "dark" singlet oxygenation.

He contributed to 4 books and has (co-)authored around 70 papers in international journals. He is the inventor of more than 20 patents on a diverse range of synthetic and non-synthetic topics. He has been awarded a DSM "Science & Technology" Award for his PhD work in 1992 and shared a DSM "Vital" Research Award in 2004. He is a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of "Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis" (Wiley) and of the International Advisory Board of the "International Symposium on Activation of Dioxygen and Homogeneous Catalytic Oxidation".